Aerating butter-separator.



A. PAY.

AERATING BUTTER SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED PERM, 1912.

Patented May 28, 19 12.

Jhventar who? * UNITED s rnfrps PATENT OFFICE.

ALPHEU'S FAY, 'OIE LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AERATING BUTTEB-SEPARATOR.

, Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28,1912.

, Application filed February 14, 1912. SerialNo. 677,640.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALrHEUs FAY, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county ofJeifersonand State of Kentucky, have invented a certain new and usefulAerating Butter-Separator, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for theperformance of such processes in connection with the treatment of cream,milkor butter as requires either mechanlcal agitation or aeration orvtion. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the strainer. Fig. 8 is adetail perspective view of the nut that holds. the strainer ;in place. vThis invention is characterized by the combination of oppositely rotatedagitators operating in a substance to be treated, with means forsupplying atmospheric air to the vicinity of said agitators, within thesubstance. The agitators 1 and 1 are of a design similar to vanes orpropellers, each consisting, preferably, of two oppositely extendedblades 1 or 1" on a hub 1". or l It will be understood, of course, thateach agitator may have" any suit-able number of blades. Also, each bladehas a median opening or perforation 1* to increase its comminutingeffect on the substance; but the" that surrounds the shaft 2, leaving anannular space therearound to conduct air along said shaft 2. Thistubularshaft 2 is open at its upper end andnear its lowerend.

. It has a hub 2 that jis secured to its upper end by arms 2, and at'itslowerend it has an end piece 2"to provide a suitable stay against saidsolid shaft 2. The lower end of the tubular shaft is furcated andreceives this stay between its furcations. By this means, and with thehub 2" having its arms or furcations 2 embracing the tubular shaftabove, the open upper and lower ends are not obstructed. The hub 2" issecured to a hollow shaft 2 that surrounds the solid shaft 2 above thetubular shaft 2, this hollow shaft 2 having a close, journal bearing onsaid solid shaft. The means for attaching said hub to said tubular shaft2 is an improved one. It consists in lugs or ears 2 on the hub, said hubbeing split through said ears into its interior opening, and a screw 2passed through said ears.

Thus, when the screw is tightened, the hub is drawn tightly around thetubular shaft 2,

clamping it rigidly thereon, while crushing.

solid shaft, 2 is avoided. The hubs of the agitators are secured totheir respective shafts by similarmeans, each hub 1? or of the shaft 2,or binding it on its inclosedj 1 having lugs or cars l or 1?,- re- -ofthe shaft, and the same attachment of the hub 1 to the shaft 2 ispreferable, in

view of its uniformity with the other hub, and because such attachmentalso has an advantage over the heretofore employed set screw in that itdoes not. project objectionably. Any of the above attaching means may bereleased by loosening the screws, so that either of the agitators may beraised or lowered on its shaft, or the tubular shaft 2 may be raised orlowered on the tubular shaft 2. The adjustment of the agitators in thisvmanner accommodates them to various quantities of substance, while theadjustment of the tubular shaft 2 is for the purpose of bringing theopen upper end of said shaft above the level of the sub-. stance, as the.quantity is varied.

A bracket 8 forms the bearings for the solid shaft 1 and for the hollowshaft 2 surrounding it. This bracket 3 is'mounted on a standard 3, whichextends up from a base 3". Thefbase3 supports a vessel l, which receivesthe substance to be operated" upon. The tubular shaft 2 extends only farenough above its bearing 2 to receiveia bevel pinion 2,but the solidshaft 2? ex tends up to abearing 2, and has, just below the bearing 2, abevel pinion. 2. These pinions 2 and 2 to which they are adjacent, andthus l mit endwise movement of their respective shafts down and up,respectively. the solid shaft 2, above and bearing down against theupper end of the tubular shaft 2 and the pinion 2 thereon, preventsendwise movement of said shafts 2 and 2 up and down, respectively. Ahorizontal shaft 5 is journaled in the bracket 3 in bearings. 5' and 5",midway between the pinions 2 and 2, and a bevel gear 5 is rigidlymounted on this shaft 5, and is in mesh with said pinions. On the otherend of said shaft 5, a handle 6 is rigidly mounted, for manual operationof the device. Said gear-5and said handle (3 bear against said bearings5 and and limit the end play of highly desirable that the 0,respectively, the shaft 5. It 15 gear 5, and the pinions 2 and 2,bepressed onto their respective shafts 5, 2 and 2, so

that they will not become loosened during the most severe service towhich the device is subjected. Pins or set screws are inadequate forthis purpose, and it is only by boring the gear and pinions so that theshafts fit very tightly, and then placing the gear and pinions on theshafts by the exertion of high degree of pressure, that a satisfactorymachine can be constructed. In order to thus press the gear and pinionson the shafts, it is necessary that the shafts be apart from theirbearings, so that free latitude of doing the work is possible, as iswell known in the art. Accordingly, I have provided an improvedconstruction in 'the bracket 3, enabling the shafts to be placed intheir bearings after the gear and pinions have been pressed onto theshafts. This is accomplished by making the bracket 3 in two parts 3 and8, the dividing planeibeing coincident with the center line of the shaft5, horizontally through the bearings 5 and 5 thereof. Each part hasears3 adjacent to the ears of the other when assembled, and screws 3 arepassed throughthe ears, binding the parts together so that the bracket 3is thus practically equivalent to an integral bracket after assemblageis completed. The upper, or lesser part,'3- of the bracket, has thebearing 2f for the upper end of the solid shaft 2. Thus, when the partsare separated, the tubular may be passed through its bearing in thelower or larger part 3 then the solid shaft 2 is slipped through thetubular shaft 2, until its collar 2 engages with the upper end of saidsh aft 2 and with the pinion 2 that was pressed thereon. This collar 2may have been pressed onto the solid shaft 2, in the same manner as werethe pinions and gear on their shafts. Then the shaft 5, with its gear 5pressed on it, and, if desired, with the handle 6 also pressed on it,may be laid in the half of each bearing bear against the bearings Acollar 2,? on a of'the bearings 5 .7, binding the terminations of theshaft 2 of the bracket, and

5 and 5" which said lower part 3 has, after which the upper part 3 issecured in place, with the upper end of the shaft 2 in the bearing 2,and with its remaining halves and 5 coming over the shaft 5. Thus itwill be seen that the three shafts 5, 2 and 2 are held in theirrespective operating positions by said upper part 8 being secured tosaid lower part 3 of the bracket 3. In boringthe bearings 5' and 5", theparts of the bracket may be assembled temporarily, and the parts boredtrue, and then disassembled for the placing of the various shafts asabove described. \Vith this construction, if one of the parts of thebracket isbroken, it may be removed and replaced by a sound part,regardless of the permanent attachment 6f the gear and pinions to theirshafts. This would not be possible, were the bracket made integral, eventhough it were practical topress the gear and pinions, and the handle 6,onto the shafts while they were in place in the bracket. The lower,larger part 3 of the bracket has a main supporting hub 3, with adownwardly extending stud 3, and. this stud fits snugly in a head in theupper end of the standard 3, with a 3 clamps the stud in the socket,thus holding the bracket firmly on the standard, but allowing it to be Iremoved, carrying the shlafktsand agitatorswith it out of the v'esse Thevessel 4 has a faucet or cock 4 at its bottom, on one side, forwithdrawal of liquid from the vessel. In order to allow free, un-

obstructed withdrawalof liquid, yet at the same time prevent passage ofsolid matter, which may be in a comminuted or granular condition, Iprovide a strainer 7 over the outlet thus formed by the faucet 4. Thisstrainer is preferably semi-cone shaped, as 1s best seen in Fig. 2,being of perforated metal, or of woven material, as of metal wire. Itpresents its pervious, convex sides inwardly of the vessel, and has itsstraight, open side against the side of the vessel, and embracing theoutlet, as shown in Fig. 1. Across thebottom of the open side is a strutlower parts of the strainer sides together. In its middle, it has adownwardly opening slot 7. This strut may be of thin sheet metal. Thefaucet is fastened in the side of the vessel 4 by passing its shank 4through the opening in the vessel side and screwing anut 4 thereon,tightly against the inner side of the vessel. This nut 4 is seen indetail in Fig. 3. It is provided with lateral recesses 4? in its facethat is presented toward the inner wall of the vessel, these recessesbeing deep enough to allow the thin strut 7 to have its parts flankingits slot 7 inserted into them after the nut P has been tightened. Thus,

3 that is formed thestrainer may be placed in position or removedconveniently, at will, and when in place will be held snugly and willdraw the the drawings, it is apparent that the arrangement of the gearand pinions, with respect to the shafts and the agitators attachedthereto, will result in the agitators being rotated in oppositedirections, on rotation of the shaft 5 by the handle 6. Also, it will beunderstood that'each agitator will have its centrifugal action on thesubstance, so that there will be a displacement'of the substanceradially outward in. all directions, producing a partial vacuum in thevicinity of the agitators, immediately above and below them, and betweenthem. This will induce a current of atmospheric air down through thehollow or tubular shaft 2 from its open upper end, which extends abovethe upper surface of the substance in the vessel, indicated by the heavybroken line A in the drawing. Since the agitators are oppositelyrotated, they have their blades pitched oppositely, so that they bothimpel the substance upward as they are rotated by turning the handlewith the righthand, and turning it to the right, as is natural on thepart of the operator.

k The upper surface of the bracket 3 forms a convenient means forgrasping with the with the tubular shaft 2 45.

left hand, to hold the device steady during operation. The bracket,standard and base may be ofcast iron, while the tubulanshaft 2 and theagitators are preferably of aluminum. The hub 2" may be formed integralThe tubular shaft 2 may be of seamless steel tubing, as may also thecollar 2 pressedonto the solid shaft The vessel 4 is preferably ofenameled steel, such as are readily obtained on the market.

' The'various parts being separable as described, most ready access isafforded for operating.

may be reached and cleaned through the 551 erating and for cleansingtheparts after op- The interior of the tubular shaft openings near itslower end. v 1. For separatlng and churnlng, fresh, sweet milk is placedin the vessel, nearly filling it,

the agitators being adjusted to their higher positions, as is also thetubular shaft 2. The milkis then agitated by the centrifugal upwardimpelling action above described, inducing air currents throughout thebody ofthe milk, thoroughly aeratingthe milk. The milk is preferablyintroduced at a temperature of from 40 to- '50 degrees Fahrenthe top, ofthe vessel.

.50 to degrees Fahrenheit.

heit, while the air entering the milk is of atbeen agitated and aeratedin the above man-- ner for about five or ten minutes, the agitation isdiscontinued and the liquid allowed to rest for a few minutes, duringwhich the separation of the cream from the milk will become complete,and the cream will riseto Then the skimmed milk is drawn off, leavingthe separated cream. By varying the volume of skimmed milk drawn ofi",the cream may be left with any desired proportion of butter fat. Whenthe desired proportion of skimmed milk has been drawn off, the agitationis resumed to churn the cream, the agitators being lowered to properlyoperate on the reduced quantity of liquid. 'The temperature of the creamwill by this time have risen to approximately. that of the atmosphere,or from to degrees Fahrenheit, and the churning agitation and aerationat this temperature is continued until the butter is separated from the*cream, which will ordinarily require from three to five minutes. Thebutterwill now be ready for washing, and will be distinct from theresidue, the butter being in its solid state, but divided into granularparticles approximating the particlesof sugar in its ordinary form, andthe residue being in uniformly liquid state. This residue is now drawnoff, through the faucet P, the strainer 7 preventing the escape of thebutter granules. Then a suitable quantity of pure water is added,preferablyat from The granulated butter is now agitated and aerated inthis body of cool water, increasing the thoroughness of separation ofthe residue. This body of water, contaminated by the residue thusseparated, is drawn off, and fresh water added, continuing the agitationand aeration, and such repeated application of cool waterand agitationand aeration are continued until thewater withdrawn shows no more tracesof residue. This indicates that complete and thorough separation of theresidue from the butter has been accomplished. After the last of thewashing Water has been withdrawn, the granular mass of butter in thevesselis ready for salting, pre} paratory to working the butter into thesolid consistencythatit'is to have in use. For salting the butter, asolution of substantially a pint-of salt to a gallon of water is appliedto the butter granules in the vessel at a tem 'lationwith every particleof the granular butter. On completion of the agitation of the granulesand solution, the solution may be withdrawn, leaving that which has beenincorporated with the granular mass, which, now thoroughly salted, withgreat homogeneity, is taken from the vessel and drained and worked tothe proper useful consistency in any suitable and well known manner. Thepurpose of using the washing Water, and the salt solution, at relativelylow temperatures, is to maintain a desirable hardness of the buttergranules throughout the washing and salting operations, which results ina finished product of great fineness of teX- ture, after final working.The apparatus may be thoroughly cleaned after the operation, bydisassemblage, as above described. If desired, the residue from churningand the skimmed milk that had beenwithdrawn after the separatingoperation may be placed together in the vessel, and the agitators againintroduced, to thoroughly agitate and aerate the liquids, intimatelymixing them, and producing a good serviceable fresh, sweet milk, withall the natural flavors of fresh sweet milk, and with all of its solids,except the butter fats.

To produce a high grade of buttermilk, the skimmed milk and the churningresidue may be mixed and allowed to sour, before agitating and aerating,reaching the condition of clabber. Then, when agitated and aerated inthe apparatus, a good quality of finely aerated buttermilk results. Thesouring may be facilitated by the use of a suitable ferment. The abovesouring may also be efiected with the use of the skimmed milk alone,allowing it to reach the condition of clabber, and then agitating it andaerating it. Such treatment of skimmed milk alone is of advantage whenthe cream therefrom has not been used for making butter, leaving noresidue for mixing with the skimmed milk. In operating on clabber, theagitators should be adjusted apart so that they offer as littleresistance to each other as possible, in the somewhat heavy substance.

A poor quality of butter may be operated upon, to improve it, by the useof my invention, placing such butter in a suitable amount of pure waterin the vessel and agitating it and aerating it in the above describedmanner, but at a temperature of not more than 50 or 60 degreesFahrenheit. The butter may be granulated to permit a most eflicientpurifying action of the air thereon, and of the water, which may bewithdrawn and fresh water supplied, as required; the entire operationresults in the product-ion of butter granules in a neutral state andwith their impurities eliminated. The neutral granules, may then beremoved and salted and worked and otherwise treated according to goodpractice in the production and marketing of palatable fresh butter, withwhich it is identical. Furthermore, if desired, the butter granulesabove alluded to may be mixed with sweet milk to produce a high qualityof cream of any desired percentage of fatty constituents, thoroughlyfresh, sweet and pure, and adaptable for all the purposes that goodcream is used for. This combined aeration and agitation will produce afine quality of whipped cream from a cream of comparatively lowpercentage of butter fats, with an operation of only from three to fiveminutes. Usually, a cream to be whipped must be rich in butter fats, toattain the desired peculiar fluft'y consistency, but the effectiveaeration caused by the operation of my improved device allows the sameresults to be had with a decided economy. For whipping cream, theagitators should be adjusted close together, and a high speed ofrotation should be maintained.

My apparatusis well adapted for producing homogenized dairy products, aspreparations to be used as butter, or as oleomargarin, or as butterin.In either case, the butter, or the oleo-margarin, or, in case ofbutterin, the lard, should be taken in equal quantity by weight, withthe milk, and the mixture placed in the vessel with the milk at atemperature of about 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and the fatty ingredient atany of the usual temperatures. Then heat should be applied to thevessel, by placing it over a stove or a burner, sufficient heat beingprovided to raise the temperature of the mixture in the vessel to about90 degrees Fahrenheit in about three minutes. During't-his threeminutes, the agitation and aeration are kept up in the mixture, and atthe end of the time, the fatty ingredient will be found to have mergedwith the milk into a single. homogeneous mass, having thecharacteristics of butter, oleo-margarin, or butterin, as the case maybe. Such a homogenized article will be well adapted for use as thearticle it is a substitute for, by the user of the apparatus, and, whenproperly labeled, this article also becomes a marketable product. In anycase it allows economy,

since the cost of the resultant product is I only a mean between thecost of the butter, or other fatty ingredient, and the cost of the milk.Such homogenized products are superior to their fatty ingredients,inasmuch as they contain milk solids not found in the pure fattysubstances alone. The convenience'with which these products are madewith my device makes them available to the private consumer, fordomestic preparation and use.

I have set forth the above processes to illustrate the use of myapparatus, and it will be understood that other advantageous uses willbe suggested in the employment of my invention, and divers minormodifications may occur in such adaptation. Therefore I do not wish tobe understood as limiting myself to the precise details hereinillustrated and described, .but

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, two shafts, one of whichsurrounds the other and incloses a space therearound and therealongforming substantial conducting means for air under atmospheric pressure,said surrounding shaft having openings from its exterior into said spaceat remote positions, an agitator mounted On each shaft to turn with'it,one of said openings being in thevicinity of one of said agitators, andmeans -for rotating said shafts and their respective agitators inopposite directions.

2. In a device of the character described, two shafts, one of whichsurrounds the other and incloses a space therearound and therealongforming substantial conducting means for air under atmospheric pressure,said surrounding shaft having openings from its exterior into said spaceat remote positions, an agitator mounted on each shaft to turn with it,one of said openings being in the vicinity of one of said agitators,oppositely facing bevel pinions, one of said pinions being attached toeach of said shafts, whereby the shaft rotates with it, and a bevel gearin mesh with said pinions.

3. In a device of the character described, two shafts, one of whichsurrounds the other and incloses a space therearound and therealongforming substantial conducting means for air under atmospheric pressure,an agitator mounted on each shaft to rotate with it, said surroundingshaft having an opening in the vicinity of one of said agitators andhaving its end remote from said opening open to the atmosphere, anothershaft surrounding the shaft surrounded as aforesaid, and having asubstantially concentric bearing thereon, adjacent the open end of thefirst mentioned surrounding shaft, means for securing the twosurrounding shafts to rotate together, a pinion on the surrounded shaftwhereby said surrounded shaft rotates with the pinion, a pinion on theshaft that surrounds and bears on said shaft, and a gear meshing withthepinions to rotate the shafts in opposite directions.

4:. In a device of the character described,

a bearing on and the other surrounding shaft inclosing a space aroundand along the shaft which they surround, said inclosed space formingsubstantial conducting means for air under atmospheric pressure and saidshaft that incloses said space having remotely positioned openings fromits exterior to said space, an agitator on the surrounded shaft torotate with it, an agitator on said shaft that incloses said space, torotate with the shaft it is on, one of said openings being in thevicinity of one of said agitators, means attaching the two surroundingshafts together, a bevel pinion on the surrounded shaft, a bevel pinionon theishaft that bears on the surrounded shaft, said pinions facingoppositely, and a bevel gear in mesh with said pinions.

5. In a device of the character described, a vessel, concentric shaftssubstantially vertically disposed therein, one of the shafts in closinga space around and along the other, forming substantial conducting meansfor air under atmospheric pressure, an agitator on each shaft to rotatewith it, each agitator having oppositely disposed impelling means, andthe agitators being adapted to be submerged in a substance held in thevessel,

said shaft that incloses said space having openings, one of whichcommunicates with said space from without the body of submergingsubstance and the other of which communicates with said space fromwithin the body of submerging substance, and means for rotating theshafts in opposite directions.

6. In a device of the character described,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. I

